Scottish export sales fell 2 per cent in the last quarter of 2007 but, despite this drop in real terms, there was an overall rise of 3 per cent on the whole year. The drinks sector fell 8.1 per cent in the quarter but was up 4.5 per cent year-on-year and engineering exports fell 3.6 per cent in the quarter but were up 3.5 per cent year-on-year. Chemicals and refined petroleum grew by 12.5 per cent over the quarter and growth was also seen in other manufacturing, up 6.8 per cent, food & tobacco, up 3.2 per cent, and wood, paper, publishing & printing up 2.1 per cent. Source: Scottish Government.

Airport traffic

Adjusting for the leap year distortion, Edinburgh is still Scotland's busiest airport with traffic increasing 3.9 per cent this February compared to February 2007 while the other BAA airports all reflect the traditional February blues decline, with Glasgow down 5.7 per cent and Aberdeen down 1.2 per cent. Highlands & Islands airports on the other hand are holding steady and are up 2.5 per cent this February, not including Dundee Airport which transferred to HIAL on 1st December 2007. Source: BAA, Infratil, HIAL Scottish agriculture Gross output from Scottish agriculture is estimated at £2.11bn in 2007, up 12.7 per cent on 2006, with cereals rising most, up 57.3 per cent, following recent trends in world markets fuelled by rising demand, a drop in production due to droughts, and falling stocks. Agricultural payments and subsidies totalled £550.51m. The results estimate a rise in the total income from farming which, in real terms, amounts to an 11.9 per cent rise. Source: Scottish Government